I'll be going soon
by Different-Mind-Set
Summary: The out break started at least a year ago. To some people it was worse than hell and still is. But Maximum Ride doesn't see it that way she see's it almost like her old life but much more dangerous. She has accepted the world today and tomorrow and knows the only way to stay alive is to be dead.*Fax* ( I do not own the characters that have to do with MR )
1. The Beginning Of The End

**A/N:** Thank you to all who are reading. I know most of you won't read the author notes cause usually if their long I just kinda skim them. Anyway I hope you like the story and please comment and like…. I like that stuff

**The Beginning Of the End**

People find it hard to accept the world we live in today, especially when most of those people are chasing you for lunch. Almost like now as I'm thinking I'm being chased by a flesh craving monster. I have figured out now that this isn't the best situation I've been in, no weapon and a lonely road have taken me to being chased by a monster that could kill me with one bite.  
"Ah hell" I said to myself as I scanned the area in front of me. The sun's rays beating down on me and reflecting off of the black pavement road I was being chased on was not helping either. "Weapon, water, shelter. Come on Max, think." I scanned the Nevada desert looking for any type of weapon I could kill this son of gun that was chasing me. I could see up ahead an abandoned car laying on its side, It was about 10 yards away. I had to make the decision to either run up to the car and take my chances with another one of these rotting bodies for a weapon, or keep running until I out run the rotting corpse that's chasing me now. I made a quick logical decision and bolted for the car. I was about 6 yards away and could already hear the groaning of another zombie from inside. I took a quick look at the car and found the exhaust pipes hanging off of the rusty old car. I grabbed the end of it and felt the rusted metal crumble in my hands. I yanked the pipe of off the car and swung it behind me hitting the corpse in the head, there was a crunch as the head gushed with red. The body instantly fell to the sandy ground and went limb. I then turned around to see the other corpse making its way out of the car. The thing must have been there for months due to the crispy rotting skin. One of its arms had fallen of and was laying several feet away, probably when the car had crashed. I set my footing toward the crispy corpse and took a stab toward it, the corpse had stumbled and dodged my jab. The crack of its old rotting bones were loud as I lifted its self-up and darted toward me. I took the pipe in my hand and tightened on the grip as I lifted my arms almost as if I was ready to hit a baseball. The target I wanted to hit was now at arm's length to touching me that's when I shifted my weight and let the pipe fly.  
Instead of hitting the exact point I wanted to hit at I had hit bellow it. The neck made shivering snap like breaking a stick, the zombie had fallen to its knees. The vertebrae of the body was now poking its way through the baked flesh of the zombie, it's head in an awkward angle only being held on by the stringy tendons of its neck. The thing still hadn't had died as it moaned and struggled to pick its self-up for the want of warm soft flesh. I took a step towards the zombie while raising the pipe above my head ready to end its dead life. I brought the rusty pipe down on to the burned crispy head of the rotting mass in front of me, the pipe made contact with the head in a split second letting oozing blood escape the puncture I had made. The dark greenish substance sprayed its self out of the hole as I yanked the pipe from its head, my old crumbly clothes now covered in dark green ooze. I took a step back from the body and let the flesh covered pipe slip from my grip. I was craving water badly now, my dehydration had now worsen from the run and fight i was in.  
"Dam things" I exclaimed as I kicked the bag of dead flesh in front of me. I turned on my heal toward the car hoping to find anything that I could benefit from these kills. I took a look in the front seat only to find the remains of the half eaten body of another corpse glass plunged into its head. "Dam thing must have gotten hungry." I said to myself as I clicked the button to open the trunk. With the trunk now open I took a look in the back seat to find some cloths "I can use those "I stated as I looked down at the useless excuse for cloths I had a pair of short hiking boots and a white tank top now covered in a green substance. I then walked to the trunk to find exactly what I needed, water, food, and a weapon. "Perfect" I smiled to the greatest decision I had made in my life killing instead of running.  
I grabbed the cloths and changed into a pair of light cargo pants, a light weight green tank top and jacket along with my tan hiking boots( /cgi/set?id=76466544 ). I then grabbed an empty bag in the trunk and started to fill the bag with as much as I could carry. I had 10 waters and 6 packs of dried fruit with 2 cans of beans. I swung the bag over my shoulder and started on my way down the road as I passed the car a flash caught my eye. I turned to see on the dash board broken glass and a pair of sunglasses, I reached through the hole in the windshield and snatched up the blood covered glasses "Oh well" I said as I examined them for a while before wiping off the dried up blood and slipping them over my eyes. I turned back to the direction I was heading in to find the city line a couple 100 miles away. "Looks like I'm going to find a ride." I smirked as I took a step toward a city with chances.  
-Different Mind Set


	2. Alone

_"Max get your damn ugly self in this house right now!" my uncle yelled.__  
__"Coming" I screamed back in annoyance. I looked over to Fang with apologetic eyes 'sorry' I mouthed to him. He gave me a sympathetic look as I jumped off the hammock we were lounging on. I ran up to the front door and took a minute to get myself ready for what was inside. My hand turned the cold brass door knob of the worn down house my uncle was occupying,__  
__" I wish my parents didn't die" I mumbled to my self as I opened the door to see my wasted uncle slung over the old torn couch with a jar of moonshine in his hand. As I closed the door behind me the creak of the termite infested door got his attention away from his alcoholic induced nap "You called?" I said irritated.__  
__"Yeah did you make dinner?" he slurred out.__  
__"Would if we could afford food." I blurted out ' Crap I need to learn how to hold my tongue back' I scolded my self.__  
__"You getting smart with me." He angrily stumbled toward me. I already had bruises from the other day when he knocked me out when I couldn't hold back my tongue, just like now. He already had his fists balled with the veins sticking out 'He can't do this again Sam" I stated to myself. As his hand came up I ducked underneath his sickly body and ran for the back door in a hope of escaping this hell hole. I grabbed the handle of the door to escape this retched rotting alcohol induced house, but before I could open the door to freedom a scream erupted from behind me.I turned around to see the sight of horror film in action in my own hell. There was blood sprayed all around the walls with moaning and screams from my uncle spitting the silence of the day. __  
__There in the middle of the living room laid my begging uncle with two bodies crouched over him. "What the hell." I didn't have anytime to react to the sight of the two decomposed bodies ripping my uncle apart, red hot flesh being shoved into their own dead mouths when something had thrown it's self against the door I was holding. I turned to see the clouded eyes of a rotten corpse beating on the door I was holding onto for dear life, I was horrified at the sight. My hand slipped from the door and I darted towards kitchen where the knifes lie. "Oh god Oh god Oh god" I blurted out ,my hands stumbled and searched for the sharp edged utensil in the drawer. Not caring if I were to cut my hand or not. Once I found the blade my hand wound its self around the sharp blade just in time to witness my uncle walk into the kitchen with a hollow stomach. I almost threw up my own stomach fro the sight of him. He was stumbling his way toward me with not anger in his eyes this time...but hunger.__  
__I took the knife in my hand and plunged it into his heart, he kept coming. I took the knife back but before I could turn away and run his bloody hand took hold of my shirt and pulled me to his monstrous mouth. I turned around to be met by his eyes once a dull green sometimes bloodshot, now a cloudy blue with no emotion. This wasn't my uncle anymore and I knew it from the__begging__ when the other corpses took hold of him. I knew I had to kill to live no matter who or what it was now, I could feel something click in my mind as I rose the blade above my head and plunging it into its target. The body went limb in my arms as I stabbed the corpses head, I yanked the knife out spraying blood all over my clothes. As I took the a step back the body dropped out of my arms and hit the floor with a thud. "Oh god" I shivered as more bodies piled in...  
Flashback end  
_I took the buck knife out of my belt and plunged it into the zombies head in front of me, the body faltered in its steps for a moment and hit the ground. I had just reached the city line and was already greeted by a dead corpse"Crap" I hissed "I should have expected" every city I had come upon had been overrun, I should have know this one would also be. Luckily for me I had learned a few things over the past year. I yanked the blade from head of the dead bag it was plunged in and bent down to the corpse. I checked my self for cuts before I touched the thing, my body was clean,good. I put my hand into the hole in its head I caused and smeared the black blood on me covering my scent with the scent of death. I had learned this trick a while back when I had been surrounded by a hoard and had been drenched in the zombies blood, they instantly stopped and stood there as I escaped. I rose to my feet and started into the city equipped with a buck knife and 9mm pistol.  
The streets were fluttered with corpses moving and non-moving ,I still went unnoticed as I walked the streets that were littered with garbage and body parts. Stores once organized that lured people in, now had barren shelves, broken glass, and blood stains. A city once buzzing with sound and lights a year ago now silent and eerie. This life was no longer alive to anyone, as much as others wanted to think it belonged to the living, it did not, not anymore. The dead owned life now; come to think about it death owned life even before, just in a different and unknown way.  
It had now been an hour and I still hadn't had found anything, I didn't even know what I was looking for these days. I had passed an ally way when I heard a faint whimper . I turned to find a small shape sprawled out in the middle of the ally. The whimper came again, it had been faint but loud enough for me to hear. This was one of those situations in movies when the blonde, being me, would go down the dark creep ally while everyone watching yelled at her to not go down because she would be killed, in the end she's killed. This is that moment where I should take every ones advice and not go down the ally, but I don't like listen. I took a small calm step and started to walk toward the mass .  
As I closed the distance between the mass and I, I realized there were two. I inched closer to see the thing laying on the ground was a dog with a knife in its head and a torn half eaten leg. Hunched over the dog was a small figure whimpering "Hey, you dead?" I asked hoping not to be interrupting a zombie from eating its lunch. The tiny mass jumped back as my voice echoed through the ally way. Light had now shown on a tiny boys face fear spread across his face as he looked at me with a knife in my hand. He had almost black looking eyes and short black about two inches long, he had a small delicate face with small freckles on his nose and cheeks. "Don't worry" I smirked "I won't bite" I chuckled a bit. The boys face now spread with a skeptical look, he looked a bit familiar to me.  
"You talk right"He nodded in reply "OK then,tell me your name."  
" Emilio Walker" he whispered still unsure. Why does Walker sound familiar to me?  
" Maximum Ride, but I've always disliked the name Maximum so I go by Max its more me. So what you up to all alone in an overrun city with a dead dog." I asked  
" I-I'm not alone" he said bluntly  
"Well you look alone."  
"You also look alone."  
"Touche, but I've always been alone. But you" I pointed to him" not so much."  
"I'm only alone because we were attacked, and my brother told me to run."  
"So you still have family in this hell, that's good."  
"What happened to yours ?" he asked curious.  
"Well parents and the rest died, the last family I was left with before this happened I had to kill him."His face fell into a small sad frown "But its fine, didn't have much of a life before this anyway. I think of this world as a better second chance for me, but for others its not so much. Anyway, is the dog yours?"  
"Yeah he saved me from a zombie. I had to put him out of his misery cause he was bit."  
"Yeah I can see that"I pointed toward the knife."Anyway I got go, you should also before a zombie catches you." I turned around and started in the direction I was heading in before.  
"Wait!" Emilio's voiced echoed through the quietness. I stopped and turned back toward him"C-can you help me, please?"  
"I don't know kid"  
"I need help to find my brother and the others." his eyes were pleading with me. He was giving the me the puppy dog eyes.  
"Uuuggggg" my conscience started to get to me as his eyes pleaded with me. I broke "Fine" his eyes brightened "grab the knife"I commanded as I walked to yanked the knife out of the dog and rose to his feet. "OK where was your brother last before you ran. He pointed down the opposite way I had walked to get into the ally .  
"I came in from there. He was near a gun store about 5 blocks away." he started toward the opening.  
"Hey wait." he stopped instantly and turned to me "You got any cuts on you."  
"No" he said confused. I bent down and took some of the dogs blood.  
"Come here then."he walked up to me and froze as I smeared the black blood on his face and clothes. "It'll mask your scent from the zombies. Don't worry you won't get infected." He nodded slowly still worried.  
We walked up to the opening of the ally and looked at the littered street. "You know Max?"  
"Yeah?" I asked  
"You look really familiar. You look like a girl my brother had a crush on before the attack happened. She had the same long blond hair and brown eyes as you."  
"Yeah?" I chuckled "Well you look pretty familiar to with those dark black eyes and black hair, you remind me of someone that I knew and liked. But a younger version of him" I chuckled with the memory Fang.

- Different Mind Set


	3. Play Time

"Hey kid?" I asked. Emilio turned his head with a nod. "Where are we, I mean I know we'er in Nevada but where in Nevada?" I questioned.  
"Uhhh, I think my brother said we were in Las Vegas ." he answered .  
"What!" I exclaimed. This place looked nothing like Sin city. I guess I had never taken in the scenery until now. I looked around for any sign that this dusty worn down city was once a city filled with lights and life ,and I found it. I could now see the reminisces of gambling chips litter the streets and all the busted lights on the once neon colored building that once lured people in like flies to a light. The chaos that took place here a year ago had now changed the whole city. The once pristine metallic look of the signs and light poles, had now been rusted to the point of being eaten away. "I didn't even notice."  
"I don't think anyone could have. This place looks and smells like a rotting dump." Emilio blurted out, interrupting my thoughts.  
"Please, a rotting dump would smell much better than this place." I exclaimed. We were now only 3 blocks away to here Emilio said his brother had been. I decided to stick to the allies instead of walking the streets like I usually do. The city had been much more over run than what I had thought in the begging. I didn't want to take any chances, especially when Emilio was with me.  
"Max?"  
"Yeah, Emilio."  
"How old are you?" curios one was he.  
"How old am I?" I repeated the question, I had to think about this. I hadn't had human interaction in a long time, which meant I didn't really have to answer questions about myself. Which meant I didn't need to think about my personal life, the only thing that has been going through my head this past year was kill or die. Nothing about family, friends, myself, and nothing about my past life."Well ...I think I'm ...17?"I questioned myself."Yeah.. lets just go with 17. What about you?"  
"8 and a half." he stated simply."Max?"  
"Yes" I sighed, another question.  
"Who was the family member you killed when this all started. I remember you said that you had to kill the last of your family." this question caught me a bit off guard.  
"My uncle." I his strait face he had on before had now dropped into a frown.  
"I'm sorry." he stated.  
"Don't be ... I probably would have killed him anyway. Drunk bastard deserved it." I chuckled.  
"Oh ... well that's sad."  
" Not really" I said mostly to myself " I think of the life now and find it a lot better than my life before."  
"So your life before people tried to eat you." he asked surprised.  
"What." I chuckled" No... my life before this was harder. Mostly because I had to take care of someone that hurt me in ways unimaginable. But in this life I'm free to do what I want without taking care of anyone, except for the exception of certain little boys found in an ally crying over a half eaten dog." we laughed at that statement. After our laugh had ended we walked in silence with the exception of moans and groans that came from the streets outside of the ally we were walking through.  
"Hey I think we'er here." Emilio blurted out in excitement. I looked up from a body that I had been inspecting as we walked. At the end of the ally I could see 3 dead bodies laying at the entrance and gun fire. "How the hell did I miss the sound of gun fire?" I asked myself.  
"I don't know?" Emilio answered my question for me before sprinting down the ally way. Oh no.  
" Hey kid!" I yelled as I sprinted after him " STOP!" I screamed. He stopped dead in his tracks as my voice echoed off the dark blood stained walls. I reached him in a split second grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him to me trying to get his attention.  
"Hey don't just run like that again." I exclaimed" You don't even now whats up there. You could be running into a hoard of Zombies and not know it!" I yelled . His eyes peeling off from the entrance of the ally for a second and then back. In that second all I had seen in those little light green eyes were fear. I turned toward entrance of the ally and witness what was causing this fear in those small little eyes. I must had become oblivious to everything wile I was chasing after Emilio that I had not noticed the pile of dead bodies that had started to fill into the allies entrance. "Crap...our scent must not be masked anymore." I mumbled under my breath. I head counted the amount of dead bodies piling in and estimated around 14 black oozing bodies stumbling their way to us. "Great. Just what I need , some play time."I smiled to myself. I looked up the ally walls and spotted as ladder leading to the roof of a two story building. " OK" I said while pulling out my 9mm checking it was loaded all the way " Here's whats going to happen. You'er going to climb up that ladder and stay on the roof. When I'm done handling this situation we'er in I'll come up an d get you. Got it?" Emilio nodded and ran to the ladder a few feet away from us. He was half way up before he turned around and looked at me with fear.  
"What if you don't come and get me." he asked weak.  
"I'll get you. K. End of discussion. Now do what I said." he nodded and disappeared over the roof. I turned back to the groaning objects that were making their way over to me, I cocked the pistol and aimed for the first head my eyes focused out. I pulled the trigger back letting the bullet loose to meet its rotting victim. The bullet hit the target right between the eyes. "Perfect shot" I smiled to my self. I took another aim letting the bullets fly from my barrel making each shot a perfect one. Before I knew it I was out of bullets and out of objects to kill.I took a deep breath and accessed the work I did. Every body containing one bullet hole in between the eyes. "I must be a mutant " I laughed as I made my way over toward the ladder leaving my work behind me. My cloths had now been sprayed with black blood from the heads that had exploded. I could feel it start to dry on my arms and face as I made my way up the ladder with my gun and knife in my belt .  
I finally reached the top of the ladder throwing myself over the edge of the roof, my feet hitting the ground. I could still hear gunfire and yelling in the distance as someone tried to fight of a hoard I'm guessing." Emilio!" I whispered loudly. There was about 6 air conditioners all silent and along with a pile of garbage and a door leading into the building on the roof. "Emilio!" I called once again, still no answer. I huffed out becoming frustrated "Emil-" I stared but was quickly interrupted by a muffle of rocks moving behind the A.C.'s. " Hey, kid come out." I started to walk over to the A.C.'s . Still no answer . I was becoming worried no, I walked quietly while pulling out my pistol and cocking it ready to kill. "Emilio" I called once more. Another muffle came along with a small groan.  
Before I could react I was already shoved to the ground with a heavy weight on me with my gun slipping from my hand and hitting the ground at the same time as me and my attacker. My head being the first to hit the ground taking my weight with me. My vision began to spot as I tried to push what was on me off. As my vision came back I could see a crispy skinned zombie with its face pecked off by crows. The skin was now hanging lose on is talon marked skull, its mouth filled with feathers and rotten flesh from past birds that had been gnawed on. I was holding its shoulder back with one hand the flesh of the body tearing off as it jerked its festering mouth toward my throat. The only thing keeping me alive being my fore arm holding its thought and chin back. If I tried to reach for my gun then this thing would certainly have a good meal on my throat, the same would happen if I were to go for my knife in my belt. I had only one choice, to reach for the closest thing to me being my knife.  
I took a deep breath and pushed my fore arm harder up into the throat of the zombie making a crunch and squish. My hand leaving the shoulder of the body . I didn't quite know how strong this one was because in that spit second I moved my hand the zombie was now on its way to its lunch. I tired to grab my knife but knew it was to late before I could wrap my hand around it. I lifted up my body making the rotting teeth sink into my shoulder instead of my throat. The pain was almost unbearable and the teeth sunk in further. All this fighting just to end up like this. The jaw started to tighten but stopped suddenly. The body going limp on my own.  
There had been a gunshot that I didn't hear that made its way to my attackers head. The black blood oozing and spraying all over me covering up the bite with its own blood. 'Now I'm for sure infected' I thought to my self. I rolled the body off of me finally feeling air enter my lungs. I coughed slightly as the dust from the air entered my lungs. I rolled on to my stomach and started to lift my self up on all fours to see the killer of my own killer. I lifted my self up on to me feet with the pain in my shoulder course through my body. As I lifted my head my eyes met two pairs of green eyes. There stood Emilio with shock on his face and standing right next to him stood a boy about my age with the same black hair and black obsidian eyes with a smoking gun in his hand.  
"Fang? " I whispered, not believing the sight in front of me .

-Different Mind Set


	4. Pain

_** A/N: Hi thank you sooooo oh sooo very much for reading I just wanted to clear up some stuff. Max's uncles is suppose to be Jeb I just forgot to add his name in there and Emilio is a character I made up because I needed to have a brother that looks like Fang and Gassy doesn't really fit that look of dark hair and eyes lol also if you see any names of Jesse or Sam sorry I mean to take those out because this is a story I started as a book and deiced to make it a fanfic instead so in Jesse and Sam are characters in the book not the fanfic :)**_

_** I just want to say thank you sooo muchhhhh to MC 3SCHER for commenting and yes max has been bit :( sorry... but it gets better when we get more into the story :) YAYAYAY**_

I now stood in front of five mangled bodies, one being my uncles. My clothes now covered in thick black blood and the smooth metallic blade in my hand covered in small pieces of flesh with blood slowly oozing down and hitting the rotten wooden panels. The sound of my blood beating in my head and my heavy breathing over powering any other sounds in the world. I had know clue what was happening, I had just killed five people. No not people... things. I had know clue what things I had just killed moments ago.  
I took a small step back, trying to catch my balance as I took in my surroundings. The dirty white walls were now covered in dark black blood that was slowly running down the side to meet a puddle on the floor.I took another step back from the sight of the five bodies in the kitchen. I had decapitated three of the unknown bodies the other two I had stabbed in the head right at the temple, one being my uncle. Black ooze was running out of the wounds of the unknown bodies and my uncles. I took another step back oblivious to the fact that my left foot landed in a puddle of blood. My back hit the counter behind my as my foot slipped on the blood. My hands found the edge of the counter fast letting my fingers curl under the ledge of the counter clinging for dear life.I rose myself up slowly while taking in this brown eyes widening letting the dry air and dust burn them making tears sprout at the corners of them slowly.  
I still clutched the blade with the fear that the bodies will rise from their blood pools. "I need to get out of here" I breathed out to myself. I slowly started toward the front door looking for freedom from this rotting house. With each step I took I could feel the need to GET OUT of here. I could feel my self speed up to the front door feeling as though each step took a year to complete my breath hitched in my throat as my hand enclosed around the knob of the rotting door. It only took a second to throw the door open almost yanking it off its hinges and crumble to my knees letting the fresh air seep into to lungs. I slowly calmed my self as I took in each breath, my eyes then began to wander over the scenery in front of me. It seemed untouched like everything that had just happened in the house had been a dream. Everything seemed just as it was before , but I thought to soon. My eyes lingered on only one spot, one spot I wish didn't exist at that time.  
The hammock once a safe haven where I could think and talk about anything had now been drowsed in blood. "Fang" I whispered. In wasn't sure if it were Fang's blood or something else but I surly didn't want to inspect it with the fear that it was his or not. My eyes started to dart around the hammock. Next to the hammock laid a thick stick covered in blood and hair but no body. The evidence of there ever being fight of some sort was the bloody hammock and stick. Millions of scenarios ran through my mind most ending in Fang dying. The only person I ever cared about after my parents deaths. The only person that was ever there for me no matter if it was about my beatings or thoughts on the world. The only person I ever trusted with my life's secrets. Gone .  
... Flash back end...

"Max?" Fang asked. His dark eyes widening at the sight of me. I almost got lost in those dark eyes, I thought I would never see again, but the pain in my shoulder came searing back. I bit my tongue from screaming out hoping the bit wasn't noticeable with the blood covering it up. I knew I was infected the was no chance I wasn't, which met I needed to get out of here. I needed to get away from Fang and Emilio no matter what , I could never endanger their life's.  
"I don't know who Max is." I sneered through my teeth hoping they'll walk away and forget about me , but Emilio was smart and he knew better.  
"Whatever Max, don't play games. Your humor is really weird sometimes" Emilio said taking a step toward me.  
"No!" I screamed "Stay away kid." each word that slipped from my lips I wanted to pull back in, but I needed them to get away before the symptoms and actions of the virus took control of me.  
"Oh my god..."Fang huffed out in an unbelievable. "It is you. Max" he said confirmed to himself."Max. It's Fang, do you remember me." Oh do I know you.  
"No. I don't know anyone named Fang or Max. Now leave me alone or else." I said as I picked my gun off the graved roof and pointed it toward them. Fang and Emilio took a step back"Now." I said making sure my voice was strong enough to handle what I was about to say." You stay right there while I go down that ladder there" I said pointing my gun toward the ladder I had just come up" Got it." I could see Fang's eyes pleading with me to remember but there was no point cause I already remembered him. Each whisper we shared. Each hug. Each kiss on the cheek. Each midnight swim to get away from my uncle. Each everything we did. Each memory flooded into my mind. It was like those dark obsidian pleading eyes just broke the strongest dam I ever built with one look . That wall I built to keep everything I went through this year, every kill, every loss, and every experience I have been though was 7 crumbling away with every step I took away from Fang. I needed to get out of here before I broke down with my wall, but I know I wouldn't be able to make it.  
I pain from the bite and the memory of Fang was becoming to much, I could feel my self stumble over my own feet. My vision started to blur and my grip on the gun loosened little by little with each second passing by. I saw Fang start to take a step toward me "N-n-o" trying to stop him."J-j-ust st-tay r-r-r-right th-" I stumbled across my words as I felt my self start to sway and my vision started to come in and out. Each time I opened my eyes Fang seemed to have gotten closer to legs started to feel like jelly and I could feel my self falling with my vision slowly giving way. Last feeling I took in was not the hard gravel ,but the strong muscular arms of Fang encasing me into his body.  
Let me go Fang. Was my last thought... before I woke up.

**-Different Mind Set**


	5. Infected

My bones ached and cracked as I made little movement. I could feel rough fabric on me and soft cushion under me _"A bed"_ I thought to my self. Everything hurt from the ends of me toes to the tip of my head all I wanted to do was fall back into the slumber I was in, but I knew better. I knew what had happened to me, I knew this bed belonged to a person in danger because of me, and I know that the last person I saw was the last person I ever expected to see... I know I have to get out of here.  
I forced my eyes open to only see blurry objects around me. I could make out a small room with stone walls and one small window at the top of the wall across from me "A basement " I whispered to my self. There was a small night stand with water and two slices of bread to my left and a dresser to my right from me under the small window. I looked to my left and found the thing I was looking for "The door" I sighed in relief.  
Not thinking I threw the rough fabric of the blanket off of me and jumped right out of the bed not thinking about the consequence's of doing so. My world began to tumble upside down and left to right as if I was strapped to a ball hurtling down a hill. The head rush took my body over causing my knees to go weak and hit the floor. I had just barley caught myself on the night stand next to me with toast and water on it, stopping my self from falling face first into the stone floor. I slowly lifted my self up and pulled my noodle body to the bed behind me. I sat there for about a minute slowly trying to collect my self "Maybe some food and water will help." I downed the toast and water with in seconds not realizing how starving and thirsty I was.  
Feeling a bit better I lifted myself up and stumbled to the door, when I reached the door I threw my body into the door making a loud thump. Hopefully no one heard that. As I was about to open the door I felt a slight breeze go up my thin scarred legs. I looked down to find my self in a thin white nightgown ...weird I didn't notice it earlier. I turned around scanning the room to find my clothes on a chair in a corner I had not checked. I stepped over to the chair finally getting control of my legs. I slipped off my nightgown noticing someone had stitched up and bandaged my bite make. " Stupid people should have killed me when they found it ." I murmured to myself shaking my head in disapproval. I picked up my own clothes and slowly put them on noticing my body was littered with bruise's and cuts and way to skinny, I was not the same Sam from a year ago. I threw the rest of my clothing on trying not to open my bite and the cuts I had gotten and made my way to the door.  
Behind the door held a stair case with a hallway at the top. I climbed the stairs to find nothing of what I expected. The hallway was not what I had thought it was going to be let alone outside. The hallway seemed cozy with light yellow walls and windows lining down the walls , out of the windows held a small farm surrounded by fields of wheat and a few trees. This was NOT the city. At the end of the hallway there held two paths, not taking my chances with any other people that lived here I opened the window and silently dropped out. Pain seared through my body as my feet made contact with the patch of dirt underneath me, the bite burned as the pain spread. My body was still not even close to fighting. I stood there for a minute deciding to check my bite to see how far along I was .  
The only thing I had learned about the infection was that if you were infected and died the virus took you over instantly. But when alive with the virus you would live only up to three days. The first day the bite would start to burn and the veins around would start to go black. The second day you would run a fever with the blackness still spreading and the third day your body would be littered with black veins like vines growing on a wall and madness would take you as you slowly died. Checking the bite I noticed it had only burned yet, black veins had not started to spread or start. That met I must have only been out for a couple hours. I taped the bandage back over the mark and made my way down the dirt driveway leading me down to meet four cars and a locked gate. Next to the four cars was a small huddle of five oak trees , I made my way over to a white SUV that wasn't so white due to blood and dirt that had collected on it. " Hope these people are smart enough to supply the car with weapons and food." I said to myself. My lack of weapons and food worried me a bit even though there was no point in wasting ammo and food since I'm going to be dead in two days, I shook that thought away and walked up to the drivers door if the SUV. I pulled on the door in attempt on opening it. My attempts failed seeing as though it was locked. I looked around my surrounding to find something to open this with. Luckily only a few yards away siting against a tree was a perfect sized rock, I walked over to it. Listing the rock up over my shoulder, I walked back to the window ready the let the rock fly.  
" I wouldn't do that." a deep voice sounded through the the area I was in. I dropped the rock and readied myself for a fight.  
" Who's there." I yelled out, thankfully the farm house I had come from was out of hearing distance from the cars.  
" Look up hon." I found my self looking up into the trees at small tree house. How did I miss that? In the tree house sat a boy about my age with bright green eyes and surfer blonde hair with a slim muscular built body. l He stood up and swung off of the tree house landing a foot toward me. He took a step toward me closing the distance in between us to only mere inches with my back pressed up against the SUV.  
"The name's Dylan" he said with a perfect white smile and a wink. I kept my straight face. "And you must be the all amazing Maximum Ride that everyone can't stop talking about." he answered for me.

" Max. Not maximum." I said with a cold stare.

" Anyway about you're wonder if were smart or not. I think we're smarter than what you think considering we decided to watch the only way out of here with the cars. We don't want any strangers taking them." he stated simply eyeing me up.

"Who said I was going anywhere?" I replied.  
"I didn't say you were going anywhere. We like to keep extra precaution that's all." he said with a cocky smile.  
"That's good." I simply said with a smile while slipping out from the pin." Anyway I'll be on my way. I've already wasted a few hours here. You know things to do, places to be."  
"If that makes you sleep at night. And you've been here for three days now ,sleep'in away like a babe ."  
"That's impossible." I couldn't have been here for three days. I would have already changed if I've been here for that long. And my bite definitely would not look like this. Maybe the virus is acting differently with me, maybe I could change any second now, maybe they found the cure everyone's been talking about and injected me with it, maybe its being delayed ,maybe I-.  
Luke continued, interrupting my maybe's " I even remember you coming in. Blood dripping ever where on our nice white rug. It was hectic. An I don't think I would forget Fang's face " that name "He looked as though he'd seen a ghost. Ya know. But I wouldn't be surprised if he did considering the world now."  
"I-I I have to go." I turned on my heel and started toward the gate forgetting about the car. I need to leave considering I'm a ticking time bomb.  
" Sorry I can't let you do that."Dylan said grabbing onto my shoulder with the bite. I grinned my teeth together holding back yelp.  
"Let me go." I seethed in between my teeth.  
"Again I sorry. I'm under direct order to keep you here." he stated , tightening his grip on my wounded shoulder unaware of the pain its causing me.  
"I said let me go." I was threw with this guy.  
"And I said N-" before he could finish his sentence I grabbed his had off of my shoulder twisted it around to his back where he was in an shoulder lock . Attempting to squirm out he failed as I held him in the lock and tripped falling in to the ground with me straddling his back. I still had him in the lock and leaned forward pushing my other free elbow into his neck to pin his face into dirt.  
"I said to let me go."I grunted.  
"Ahh you're a feisty one arn't you" he laughed but soon stopped with a groan as I pulled his arm higher up his back threatening to pop in out of place.  
"I don't think you're in a position to be making jokes pretty boy." I spat out. This strength I had felt weird, different, not normal. Maybe it was me being paranoid about the bite, but I felt off. Like I had to much power lik-  
"Let him go Max, he was only doing what I told him."a voice rumbled out from behind us. Fang.  
I froze up for a at the sound of his voice. Giving Dylan enough time to get out of my lock and roll out from underneath me.  
" You taking steroids or something, god woman." Dylan grumbled out while lifting him self out. I slowly came back to and lifted my self off the dirt ground dusting off the light brown dirt.  
" Well I told you to let me go, retard." I stated bluntly.  
" She did."Max said backing me up.  
" I don't need help with backing up my own words. And didn't I tell you to leave me you creep. I said I didn't know you ." I was lying through my teeth again.  
" Yes you do know me or you wouldn't have reacted to my words and face when you saw me. Also I took you back because we need to talk." he looked sincere about that.  
" Fine you get 20 minutes, but after I get a gun, food, and car then I'm on my way."  
" OK." he said while turning around and making his way back to the house with Dylan following and me still standing there conflicted with my self. One side telling me this wasn't a good idea. I should just get out of here with out anything. I could change any second. And the other side telling me to go for no reason other than Fang.  
In the end I chose the stupid way and stared toward the house.


	6. Uncertain Choices

**_A/N: Hope you like the chapter thank you so much for reading, Enjoy:)_**

_No. I can't be doing this. I need to go back. Turn around damn it. Don't take another step. You retard you took a step. Stop NOW. I shouldn't be doing this. I need to be alone. Keep everyone safe._  
Unfortunately my body nor heart doesn't want to listen to my flippen brain. Now I'm on a dead set path to putting people that care about me in danger. I took another step to the house. One more step and ill be on the porch.  
"I cant do this" I mumbled to myself. I took a step back looking at the house with fear. So many choices I cant make. I need answers not questions to answer. "Fang" I whispered out. He turned around even before I said his name. Those forest green eyes poring out so much emotion." I can't come in." his face fell.  
"What do you mean. Of course you can come in." his eyes pleading with me.  
"I can't Fang. There- T- There's something wrong with me Fang." he took a step toward me gently placing a hand on my arm in the process.  
"Max. Do you see the world we live in. Of course somethings wrong with you. There's something wrong with all of us now."  
"N-no." I took a step back letting his hand drop from my arm." I'm in a different situation Fang. I don't know whats wrong with me.I need to go before I hurt someone."  
" Why would you hurt someone, Max?"  
" There's something wrong with me Fang. I need to go. I don't even need a car nor weapon or food. I just need to walk and keep walking away."  
"Max. Tell me whats wrong." Fang took a step forward and threw his arms around me holding to his chest" Just tell me. I can help."  
" Not in this situation. You can't. I can't even help me." he held me tighter like I was going to fly away." Fang you need to let go."  
"No I let you go before and I lost you. I'm not letting go this time." he breathed out.  
" That was in the past. Its different now."  
" How he hell is it different now." he huffed out frustrated.  
"Its different now because I'm not who I used to be...not at all"I mumbled out with a tear dropping down my face.  
"No Max. You're still the same Max I fell in love with a year ago. All that's changed is time, Max." Fang explained into my ear. He held me even tighter now. The feel of someones arms around me. Just the feel of another human next to me sent comfort, but with Fang being in his arms it wasn't just comfort it was home. I felt like everything was OK and nothing had happen. I felt just as i did a year ago when I was in his arms...like all my thoughts and problems and pain was gone and there was nothing.  
But there is something and I can't ignore these problems now no matter how bad I want to stay.I took my head off his shoulder and looked up at him with a dead stare.  
"Fang I have to go. Its not just time that's changed and I think you know that."  
"What are you talking about?" he looked at me questionably.I took a step back from his arms and looked at him straight.  
"Don't play stupid. You are the one who found me under that corpse are you not. You saw what happened and how I was after." I started to raise my voice." You know that the blood that was on me wasn't just the zombies. And I know you saw the bite." I stopped with my chest heaving up and down .Fang still stood there with a pleading look on his face.  
"Max..." Fang reached out to me but i took another step back,his arms fell to his sides.  
"No I have to go...and you know that."I gave him a cold stare" You knew what you had to do when you saw the bite. You KNEW you had to kill me off ... you should have done it when I was unconscious so I do have to feel anything and suffer" I whispered under my breath. Fang's face contorted to anger with those words.  
"Do you even understand what seeing you was for me!" he started raising his voice" Max. I felt like I actually had a life to live for when I saw you. I"m incapable of hurting you, let alone killing yo like some animal. So I brought you back hear and bandaged you up hoping for the best hoping to god you weren't infected. And you know what I hoped enough cause you should have already changed two days ago." he stopped abruptly his cheeks red ,his chest heaving up and down, and his eyes green eyes searching for something in mine.  
"Fang" I whispered softly "There's something wrong with me...I should be infected. I should have changed. I got bite the blood from the corpse got in every cut and scrape I had. It was all over me. Its not right that I'm not infected or changed. I FEEL different. There's something wrong and I can sense it. I'm different now truly different. And i can't be around the ones I care about when I'm a high risk to their life's. Maybe the virus or what ever it is acts different with my blood like the infection spreads slower. We don't know anything and that why I need to go." I turned on my heel and started off to the gate.  
Before I could take the third step though Fang already had his arms around me and turned my body around to face him" I told you I refuse to let you go infected or not." he softly said to me, our noses barley touching. Our faces so close together I could ju- no I have to go.  
"Please Max." he pleaded "Just stay...for at least 2 more days I can't let you go again." I could feel a tear run down my cheek. A year ...a year I have thought the boy I loved was dead the only thing really cared about in this god for saken world i thought was dead but he wasn't. He's ear holding me telling me not to go when I don't want to at all but I know I have to."Three days that's all I ask and if anything happens I promise I wont let you hurt anyone nor anyone hurt you. I love you." my heart caught for a second, and I took a deep breath out and raised my head to look him in the eyes.  
" Three days then I'm gone if nothing happens before that." I huffed out in defeat. This was a bad decision . Fang took my hand in his and lead me up the porch steps and a grin on his face.I took all four creaky steps as I made my way up and with a second gone bye I felt the door shut behind me and knew this was not the choice I should have made...

**_-_****Different Mind Set**


	7. Gone

** (A/N: sooo hope you like the chapter. And sorry about the beginning, they'll have more lovey dovey parts its just I needed to get this out to show you that in the past they weren't really together but... you know... Max will become more lovable :) promise. Their relationship will grow A LOT I guess you could say I'm doing the relationship stuff backwards)**

That night I didn't sleep alone, I didn't sleep in a closet, I didn't sleep on a roof, I didn't sleep in a tree. That night I didn't wake because of a shuffle I heard, that night I didn't scavenge any rotting food. I didn't do anything I did in the past year. That night I slept strait through the night, I ate a full meal, I slept in a queen sized bed, and I didn't sleep alone.  
The next morning I woke up, blankets wrapped around me and a body pressed up against mine. What...I looked behind me to only find the sort black hair I expected and those dark mysterious eyes I always get lost in already open looking into my own brown ones" What?" I simply stated.  
" I just almost forgot how beautiful you were."he smiled  
" Oh. Shut your mouth you corny poptart." I laughed out rolling over to look him straight in the eyes. It's weird, I feel like I've changed since the bite, and not in the way I should change. I feel better, my eye sight feels sharper, my mind feels powerful if that doesn't sound crazy, I feel MUCH stronger, my hearing is insane because right now I hear everyone's heart beat in the house, and I'm healing all to fast my bite is practically gone. "Fang" I was serious" You know I shouldn't be here, in this bed wit you. You know we shouldn't have done what we did last night."I said softly. He wrapped his arms around my skinny body.  
" I know. But I couldn't help myself from parting from you again and make you sleep in basement. It was almost if I did let you do that it would break me."  
"I still need to go Fang"  
"No. You said three days. Its only been one." he refused.  
" But I can't keep you in danger anymore. I thought I could last three days, but I can't. I have to go." I said getting up from the bed putting my clothes back on." You have to leave to Fang. This place will be found by them, and you know it. I can see it in your eyes." I said pulling my jeans on" Its not safe, this place probably smells like a Chinese buffet for miles now. I'm surprised the dead haven't found it yet, and with this many people it's gonna be a full course meal here in a day or two." I stated wile grabbing my gun from under my pillow.  
" When did you put that there." Fang ask confused" I don't remember that being there."  
" I put it there last night, just in case I or you needed it. Its a habit of 'er changing the subject anyway. Avoiding anything that's bad." he sat up letting the blankets fall to his hips exposing his strong built torso. I couldn't resist watching. He looks so much older now even though its only been a year. Hes shed off that innocent look he had and replaced it with only that of a man.

I look back at his eyes only to see a tiny glimmer of hope in them, pleading for me to stay." Fang I need to go, you need to go to." my face went cold hoping he would get he seriousness of the situation." We aren't kids like we used to be a year ago. Its different now and you know it." I threw my shirt on and stuck my gun in the back of my jeans. I had gotten a new pair of clothes thanks to one of the girls in Fang's group, instead of wear my old blood stained clothes I wore a pair of dark jeans with a regular grey t-shirt and a black sweatshirt ( /casual/set?id=62083219). I started to look around from the black combat boots the girl had given to me when I heard a slight shuffle and moan. My body went ridged and stood straight up trying to comprehend where the noise came from." Fang" I whispered "did you hear that?"  
" Hear what." He grumbled out, clearly pissed off at me for leaving and not listening to him" and why are you whispe-"  
" Shhh" I cut him off. I listened much more carefully for the sound once more, but came up with nothing.I turned around towards the door only to find the boots right there next to the door. " Like I said Fang." I demanded as I sat down and slipped on the boots " you need to get out of here. Their coming soon, its almost like I can feel them." I mumbled to my self. I stood up , opened the door, but just as I was about to exit the door I heard the sound again along with a second one. I looked over to Fang to see him getting his clothes on. Three more moans came before I said anything.  
" You OK over there, Max?" Fang rang out.  
" You don't hear that." five more moans came.  
" Hear what?"  
" The moans and shuffles." Fang looked puzzled. I ran over to the window and opened the curtains fast letting the sunlight blind me for a bit.  
" SAM! What are you, crazy. Trying to blind me " Fang exclaimed. I didn't answer back.  
I as my eyes started to adjust to the sunlight I could see and hear more and more limping figures on the horizon. " We need to go."  
" What do you mean?" Jesse said looking out through the window. He didn't sound panicked at all.  
" Do you not see that or hear that." I pointed to the heard or zombies making their way over to the house. The sound growing as if there in he room with me.  
" I don't see or hear anything. Except grass and you going crazy." Fang took a step back.  
" What?" I asked irritated. He took another one.  
" Max. Your eyes."he sounded scared. I walked over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My eyes had changed from a dark brown to a pure white . I took a step back and looked again with the noise of the moans and shuffles growing more and more and each look at my eyes never changing...

-** Different Mind Set **


End file.
